Printing-machine



C. H. SAMPSON.

PRINTING MACHINE. M-Pucmou FILED mm. la. m4.

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PRINTING MACHINE.

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Patented Sept. 9,1919.

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I d T C. H. SAMPSON.

HUNTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mm an. I3. 1914.

1 ,3 1 5,642. PatentedSept 9, 1919.

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C. H. SAMPSON.

. PRINTING MQCHINE- nvrucmpon FILED MAI-VI! m4.

1 ,31 5 ,642. Patented Sept. 9, 1919. 7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

c. H. SAMPSON.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IMB. I3, 1934.

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PRINTING MACVHINEL APPLICATION FILED I AR I3, IBM.

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C. H. SAMPSON.

PRINTING MACHINE.

MPHCATION FILED man. 13. 1914.

0 0 QQQESQ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. SAMPSON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 TODD PBO'DEGTOGRAPH COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

IBINIING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application filed March 18, 1914. Serial No. 824,485.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. SAMPSON, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Printing-Machines, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to rinting machines and more particularly to that type used for printing matter on checks or other commercial papers for the purpose of protecting the same against surreptitlous changing, an object of this invention being to provide a simple and inexpensive construction which will be durable in use and which may be employed for writin the exact amount for which a check or ot er commercial paper is made payable.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain arts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the present im rovements;

*ig. 2 is a vertical section through the machine on the line aa, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line b?), Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line cc, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view showing details of the operating member and its cooperatin parts;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line d Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the forward part of the overhanging portion of the main frame;

Fig. 8 is a view of the interior parts of the ma chine with the bottom plate removed;

Fig. 9 is a section on line ee, of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section through the indicating wheel; and

Fig. 11 is a section through one of the inking rollers and its support.

In the embodiment of the invention selected at the present time for purposes of illustration there is provided a main frame which comprises a hollow base portion 1 formed by a single casting and an overhanging portion 2 preferably formed by a separate castin from the base portion and supported on the latter at the rear thereof, being rigidly secured thereto by bolts or other fastenmgs 3. The base portion 1 is of greater width than the overh'an ing portion and projects from opposite si es of the latter, its upper wall being formed by a sheet metal plate 4 serving as a work support.

The printing mechanism embodies preferably a rinting or type member and a platen movab e relatively to each other for effecting the printing operation. The printing or type member is, in this instance, in the form of a rotary printing wheel or drum 5 which is arranged Within the overhanging casin 2 to turn on a shaft 6 that is parallel witfi the table or Work support 4 and is rigidly supported by the overhanging frame portion 2. This printing wheel 5 has its periphery provided with lines of printing surfaces or type which project from the wheel and are arranged parallel with the turning axis 6 of said wheel. Each line of type represents preferably one of a plurality of characters comprising principally a series of words expressing numbers, words expressing numerical denominations, and various conventional marks or symbols, suitable, by selective combination, for writing an monetary value within certain limits. e lines of type are of varying lengh corresponding to the words represented.

The printing surfaces of type and platen may be corrugated or otherwise formed to disrupt the paper and thus insure that the latter will be thoroughly im regnated with ink, as indicated in Fig. 6. onstruction of this character is disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent to Libanus M. Todd, No. 793,249, further description thereof being unnecessary herein.

For operating the printing wheel to position any one of these Words over the printing point, there is preferably provided a rotary selecting member 7 which, with a dial 8, is arranged on a shaft 9 that has an enlargement 10 journaled in the side wall of the overhanging casing 2, the dial 8 and the rotary member bein clamped to the shaft by a screw and was er 11 fitted to the end of the shaft 9 and forcing the rotary member 7 against the dial and the latter against the casing 2 and collar 10. The dial 8 is in the form of a wheel having a groove receivin a strip or tape 12 on which are marked indicating characters corresponding with the types on wheel 5, the meeting ends of the tape being turned inwardly at 1:5 within a slot formed in the dial wheel 8 and held in said slot by a wedge 13". (ouncetion between the shaft J and the printing; wheel 5 is established preferably by means of a. gear wheel or pinion ll integral with. and at one side of the printing wheel said gear wheel or pinion 14 being engaged by a pinion 15 which is rigidly seemed-tothe shaft 9 within the casing, said gear wheel 15 bearing on one side against the inner face of the casing 2 so that between said gear wheel 15 and the dial or index wheel 8, the shaft 9 is held against axial move ment. 'With this (:(mstrln'tioli the imlex wheel, although small in diameter. may be arranged to project abmc the casing; so that its indicating char-rulers may be readily visible from the front of the machine. At the same time the selecting member T is adapted to becasily manipulated. A pointer or finger 16 may be arranged on the casing; 2 for cooperation with the indicating, chain acters on the dial wheel, so that by turning the member 7 to bring a character under the pointer 16, the corresponding type placed in printing position.

The bottom wall of the overhzmging frame or casing 2 is preferably formed by a sheet metal plate 17 which is screwed to the under face of the overhanging portion and has a slot or opening directly beneath the lowermost portion of the printing wheel, the walls of the slot being beveled on opposite sid in order that the type Wheel may be brought us close as possible to the under side of the plate. are formed two curved lugs 20 each ha vinpone face substantially in the form of one quarter of a circle and said lugs projecting erally from the lever The lever 33 eX into the casing 2 in proximity to the opposite side walls of the latter, being, in this instance, struck up from the metal Adjacent to these lugs,

upwardly of the plate 17. the casing 2 is cut away ing in its forward or front wall.

to provide an open This open-- ing is normally closed by a member or plate 21 which has a horizontally projecting pon surfacc' The tion 22 adapted to rest on the upper of the plate 17 between the lugs 20. inner end of this projection 22 is offset up \vardly at 24: from the main portion of th block positioned over the opening 18. stance, th is platen its sprin thus fitted to the lugs 20, its upper end is held by a rotary latch 25.

lhe plate 21 serves as a carrier for an inking device which preferably is in the form of a roller 26 journaled at 27 on a l'rnme 28 which in turn is pivoted at 21) to the carrier plate 21, a spring 30 urging said frame with the roller 2t) thereon toward the printing wheel. Preferably the liii'nt bar 29 also serves to support two spring plates 29 which have pockets 28)" on. their inner faces to receive the ends of the roller shaft 27 in order to hold the latter within the laterally opening bearing of the frame 28, the plates 29 havinglugs 29 ei'it-eriiiip; recesses in the outer faces of the frame 28 to hold the plates against turningrelatively to the frame 28 on the bar 29 yet to permit lateral yielding of said plates.

Another inking device is also employed and comprises prefcrul'ily a roller 88 coopen at'irn with the printing wheel at a point dinmetrically opposite the roller 213 and prefer ably carried by a swinging frame 89 piv' oted at 90 and pressed toward thev printing wheel by a spring 91. The frame is preferably pivoted to a. plate 92 which closes an opening 93 in. the top of the overhang-in; frame 2. This plate 92 engages beneath overhanging projections 92-1 and is held beneath such projections by the spring 91 which is tensioned and tends to move the )late beneath such projections when the plate is placed over the opening 93.

The platen is preferably in the form of a 31 with a. serrated face operable hrough the opening in the work support 1 in order to cooperate with the line of type In this inis adjnstably mounted on ne end of a lever "l which is pivoted below At the forward end of this plate the work support 4 by means of segmental bearings 31 formed respectively on the frame base 1 and on arms 35 extendmg latsaid sprin extending into the casin 2 and being anc iored at 39 thereto, so tint the spring normally tends to move the platen 32 away from the printing wheel.

For moving the lever against the action of 37 in order to shift the platen toward t e printing wheel, there is preferplate 21. With this arrangement, the plate ably employed a plunger 10 which is guided 21 can be attached to the casing 2 by causing the offset portions 24 to bear against the forward end of the plate 17 and then rototing the plate or wall 21 about such offset portion as an axis to cause the notched or recessed ends of the projection 22 to engage over the lugs 20. After the plate 21 has been vertically in a sleeve 41, the latter being integrail with and projecting upwardly from the base 1 within the casing 2. The lower end of this plunger cooperates with an adjustable screw 12 arranged on the arm 36 in order to vary the relation between the platen carrying lever 33 and the plunger 40 so that more or less pressure may be obtained by the operating mechanism for increasing or dccreasing the pressure of the platen upon the type wheel. The upper end of the plunger 40 carries a roller 43 for cooperation with a cam surface 44 formed upon an element 46 keyed to a shaft 45. This element also has two shoulders 47 and 48 which cooperate with the roller 43 to limit the rotation of the shaft 45 in two directions, these shoulders :17 and 48 being at opposite ends of the cam portion 14:. Adjacent to the shoulder 47, between the latter and the cam portion 14, is a recess 49 (Fig. 5) for receiving the roller 43 and holdin the cam shaft -15 in its nor mal position, tlie spring 37 forcing the roller 43 into this recess. On the exterior of the casing 2, an operating crank handle 50 secured to the shaft 45 in order that said shaft may be rotated to cause the roller 4-3 to travel out of the recess 4 9 into engagement with the cam surface stat until the shoulder i8 is reached, the cam surface -|--lgradually moving the )lnnger -10 in the (lircction of its longitudinal axis and away from the shaft 15 so that the rear end of the lever 33 is depressed and the forward end with the platen thereon is carried toward the printing wheel.

It is desirable to provide means for insuring the actuation of the handle 50 through the full extent of its movement and thus to insure full pressure of the platen and the work against the type. To this end there is provided a pawl and ratchet arrangement which prevents the return of the handle until such complete actuation is accomplished. In this embodiment, the shaft 1-5 is provided with a segmental ratchet portion 51, and a pawl 52, pivoted on the easing at 53, is normally held toward such ratchet portion by a spring 54 anchored at one end to the ratchet and at the other end to the projection 55 on the interior of the casing 2. The pivot 53 of the pawl 52 is formed on the end of a screw 56 which extends through the wall of the casing 55 and has its outer end covered by a cap 57. It is apparent that, when the crank handle 50 is first turned from. its normal position, the pawl 52 will engage with the ratchet 51 and prevent the return of the crank handle until the opposite end of the ratchet 51 is reached, when the pawl passes out of engagement with the latter, after which the reverse movement of the handle may take place under the action of the spring 37, as the pawl is moved in the opposite direction and is so held until the starting point of the ratchet is passed, when the pawl again shifts under the action of its spring so as to cooperate with. the teeth of the ratchet.

The work feeding mechanism in the present embodiment of the invention operates to advance the work between the printing impressions, and since the words printed are of variable length, as previously stated, this feedin movement is at each. operation substantia ly equal to the length of the word printed olus an additional distance suiiicient to provir e a uniform space between adjacent words. This is preferably accomplished by means of two rotary feed members 58 an ranged on a single shaft 59 within the base portion 1 and having their peripheries projecting slightly through openings in the work support 4 at the rear of the printing point but in proximity thereto. On the shaft 59 is arranged a ratchet wheel 60 secured to such shaft so that both turn together. To one side of this ratchet wheel and journaled upon the shaft 59 is a swinging arm 61 which carries a spring-pressed pawl 62 adapted to engage with and turn the ratchet 60 when the arm 61 is moved in one direction, but to ride over the ratchet 60 when the arm 61 is turned in the other direction. The arm 61 has a link 63 pivoted thereto at 64:, the other end of the link being pivoted at 65 to one end of a swinging feed controlling member 66 which is pivoted at. 67 preferably at a point between its ends. The other end of this pivoted member 66 has a laterally-turned portion 68 which is adapted to cooperate with a gage or stop member 69. This gage or stop member, in this instance, turns about an axis 76 and has a plurality of steps or shoulders 71 thereon corresponding in length to the length of the words on the n'intinrg member. The gage or stop member 66 is so connected to the printing wheel or member 5 that, when the latter is rotated, the gage or stop member will be rotated, this connection being preferably in the form of a gear wheel 72 in this instance, integral with and to one side of the printing men'iber 5, said gear wheel 72 meshing with the gear wheel 73 integral with the rotary gage or stop member 69.

The swinging member 66 normally rests with its Iaterallyt1n'ned end 68 out of enga ement with the rotary stop member 69, an member 66 is operated by a connection with the platen operating mechanism comprising, preferably, an arm 74 extending laterally from the lower end of the plunger 40 and slidably embracing a stem 7 5 pivoted at 76 to a laterally-extending arm 77 on the swinging member 66. Stem 75 carries a sliding sleeve 78 pressed upwardly by a spring 79 surrounding the stem and bearing against a shoulder at its lower end. It will now be understood that when the plunger 40 is depressed to raise the platen, the arm 74 through the sleeve- 78 and spring 79, will depress the stem 75 and thereby swing the member 66 until its upper end strikes one of the shoulders on the gage 69 when the movement of member 66 is arrested. At, the same time the pawl 62 is moved idly over the ratchet 60 a greater or less distance depending upon the height of the stop shoulder struck by the end 68" of member 66. Spring 79, forming a yielding connection between the platen actuating mechanism and the feeding mechanism, permits (he continued movement of the platen into full impression of the work regardless of the point at which the above described setting movement of the Feeding mechanism is arrested by the gage. When the arm 74 is raised by the spring 37 to lower the platen, it strikes a shoulder at the upper end of stem 75 and swings member 66 back to initial position, thereby operating the feeding members or wheels 58.

In order that the type wheel or member 5 may rotate in either direction but be held with any selected lypr centered over the printing point, there may be provided a centering means comprising a spring plate sorured at one end to the upper face of the plate 17 to one side of the printing mem her 5 and having an upwardly deflected or bent portion 81 between its ends to cooporatc with the teeth 72 of the gear wheel. This deflected portion yields as the gear wheel is turned but enters between the teeth (which correspond in number to the lines of printing on the type wheel) to hold the lines of printing centered over the printin point.

io lock the printing wheel 5 against turning during the printlng action, there may be employed a locking device preferably in the form of a lever 82 pivoted at 83 and having a nose 84 adapted to enter between the teeth 73 of the gage 69. This lever has a resilient connection with the platen carrying lever 33, such connection consisting of an arm 85 extendine from the arm 36 and engaging one end of a coil spring 86 which is connected at its other end to the lever 82. This lever 82 also has a portion 87 directly engaged by the arm 36 of the lever 33 so that, when the lever 33 is moved to its normal position, it will be in engagement with said portion 87 to holdthe nose 84 away from the gage member 69. When the lever 33 is move to carry the platen toward the printing wheel, the lever first pulls the nose 84 into engagement with the teeth 73 and then causes the platen to cooperate with the printing wheel.

The operation of the machine will be understood from the foregoing description but it may be summarized as follows:

A check or other negotiable instrument or paper form is placed upon the table 1 beneath the overhanging portion 2 and against an adjustable gage 100 which does not form any art of t e present invention, the paper eing held against the feeding mom ber 58 by the spring-pressed work clamp 101 which is operable by the finger piece 102 at the left hand side of the overhang ing portion. After the paper has been properly adjusted on the table, the controlling wheel 7 is turned to position the desired line of type over the printing point. When this is done, the crank handle 50 turned to cause the depression of the plunger 40 and the elevation of the platen 31 toward the printing Wheel. During the first part of the upward movement of the platen, the lever 33 causes the nose 84 to come into locking relation with the teeth 78 on gage member 69 so that the printing wheel is held in its shifted position. After this, the spring connection between the lever 33 and the locking lever 82 yields to permit the platen to complete its movcn'ient independently of the locking member.

At the time the plunger 40 moves to shift the platen toward the printing wheel, the member (36 has its end moved toward the gage member 69, and after such engagement takes place, the plunger continues its movement to move the platen. toward the printing wheel, the spring 79 yielding to permit such movement. When the member 66 moves, it does not shift the ratchet (30, but, upon the return movement of the plunger 40 under the action of the spring 37, the ratchet wheel 60 is moved a distance corresponding to the length of the written or printed word and, at the same time, effects the movement of the feeding member 58, to carry the check the same distance. This operation is repeated until the desired words are written on the check. It is, of course, clear that as the platen lever 23 returns to its normal position that is to the position where the platen 31 is farthest away from the type, the arm 74 moving with the platen lever will engage the shoulder on the stem 75 and swing the member 66 back to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9. This movement of the member 66 will, through the connection afforded by the link 63, swing the plate 61 and the pawl thereon, thereby rotating the paper feed Wheels 58 to advance the paper.

A check printing machine constructed in accordance with this invention is simple in operation and inexpensive to manufacture. The printing wheel is adjusted or positioned by means which is readily accessible and the indicator for showing such adjustment is situated so as to be readil visible from the front of the machine. The inking devices cooperate with the wheel in such a manner as to properly distribute the ink thereover, and they are mounted on carriers which are readily connected to or disconnected from the machine. The printing wheel is held in its adjusted. position by a locking dog resili= ontly connected to the platen operating mechanism, but iositively' engaged by such mechanism to hold it out of locking position. The platen operatin mechanism, except for the operating mem er, is entirely housed within the casing of the machine. The operating member is situated on the side of the machine opposite the controlling member of the printing wheel and so that the two hands of the user may readily operate both parts without removing the hands from such parts. Means is provided which prevents the return of the operating member until the printing action is completed, once said action has been initiated which insures a full and uniform impression of the work.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a printing machine, a printing member provided with a plurality of lines of type, said member being freely shiftable in either direction to bring various lines of type selectively to position to be printed by successive operations of said machine; a. platen movable toward and from the printing member; a pivoted lever having an actuatlnoconnection with said platen; a reciprocatable member having an actuating connection with said lever; a shaft extending transversely of said reciprocatable member; a cam on said shaft for actuating said reciprocatable member; a handle on said shaft for rotating the latter; and a full stroke mechanism for insuring the complete operation of said handle before its return to starting position.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a printing member, and a platen for taking impressions from said member, (if a lever carrying the platen, a plunger movable to operate the platen lever, a rock shaft, a cam carried by said rock shaft and cooperating with the plunger, a handle for rocking the shaft, and means for limiting the rocking movements of the shaft.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a type carrying member, and a platen for taking impressions therefrom, of a lever carrying the platen, a plunger movable to impart impression takin movements to the lever, a movable shaft adptcent the plunger and having an invariable starting point, a cam carried by said shaft and constructed to actuate the plunger when the shaft is moved, and means for re turning the shaft to its invariable starting point. i

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a type carrying member, and a platen for taklng impresslons therefrom, of a lever carrying the platen, a

lunger movable to impart impression tak- 1n movements to the lever, a movable shaft ad acent the plunger, a cam carried by said slutft and. constructed to actuate the plunger when the shaft is moved, and a. spring for returning the shaft and parts actuated thereby to a normal starting point.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a type carrying member and a platen for taking impressions therefrom, of a lever carrying the platen, a pll'lngcr movable to actuate the lever, a rock shaft having a cam for actuating the plunger whereby to operate the platen lever, and means for limiting the movement of the rock shaft in both directions.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a type carrying member and a platen for taking impressions therefrom, of a lever carrying the platen, a plunger movable to actuate said lever, a rock shaft having :1 cam for actuating the plunger whereby to operate the platen, means for limiting the movement of the rock haft in both directitms, and a spring acting through the plunger to return the cam and rock shaft to a normal starting point.

7. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing member, and a platen movable toward and from the printing member, of a lever having connection with the platen to operate the latter, a plunger havin connection with said lever, and an oscillatory shaft having a cam member thereon for cooperation with the plunger to move the latter, said cam member having stop shoulders at opposite ends of its camming portion.

8. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing member, of a platen movable toward and from the printing member, a lever having connection with the Jlaten to move the latter toward and from he printing member, a plunger having connection with the lever, an oscillatory shaft having a cam thereon for cooperation with the plunger to move the latter, said cam having stop shoulders at opposite ends of its camming portion and also havin a locking notch in proximity to one of sai stop shoulders, and a spring for returning said plunger, lever and platen to normal positions.

9. In a printing machine, a casing having a base portion and a portion supported at the rear side of said base portion and overhanging the latter; aprinting wheel rotatably mounted in the overhanging portion with its axis parallel with said rear side of the base portion, and provided with a plurality of lines of type extending parallel with the axis of said wheel; a gear wheel connected with said printing wheel; a shaft journaled in said overhanging portion of the casing and having a gear Wheel meshing with said first mentioned gear; means for rotating said shaft to rotate said printing wheel and bring said lines of type selectively to printing position; an indicating device arran 'ed on said shaft and easim exteriorly oi the latter for indicating the line of type in printing position; a platen in said base portion of the casing; and means For effecting a relative printing movement of said printing wheel and platen.

10. In a printing machine, a casing having a base portion and a portion supported at the rear side of said base portion and over hanging the latter; a printing wheel rotatably mounted in the overhan ing portion with its axis parallel with sai rear side of the base portion, and provided with a plurality of lines of type extending parallel with the axis of said Wheel; a gear wheel Connected with said printing wheel; a shaft jonrnaled in said overhanging portion of the casing and having a gear wheel meshing with said first mentioned gear; means for rotating" said shaft to rotate said printing wheel and tiring said lines ol type selectively to printing position; a dial (-onneel'ed to said shaft exteriorly of said easing and having rharacters thereon rorresponding to the line of type on said printing wheel; an index on said casing cooperating with said dial to indicate the line of type in printin position; a platen in said base portion; and means for efiecting a relative printing movement of the printin wheel and platen.

11. In a printing maciliine, the combination with a rotary type wheel and platen movable toward and from said type wheel, of a locking member for holding such wheel against rotation during the movement of the platen, and platen operating mechanism enibodying a member having resilient connection with the looking member to move the latter toward locking position and adapted to engage a portion of said member independently of said conneetion to positively hold the locking member away from looking position.

12. In a printing machine, the combination with a rotary type wheel. and a platen movable toward and from said type wheel, of a locking member for holding such wheel against rotation during the movement of the platen, a lever having one end connected to the platen for moving the latter toward the printing wheel and having a resilient eon neetion with the locking number to move the latte-r to looking position and then permit the lever to continue its movement, said le vrr directly engaging the locking member when the platen is at the limit of its movement away from the printing wheel so that the looking member will be positively held away from looking position.

CHARLES H. SAMPSON.

\Vitnesses HAROLD H. SIMMs, ADA M. VVHITMORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

